Home Maps /Directions Contact
Welcome to Polk County Conservation!
HeaderImageConservation
Home dividerMBAbout Us dividerMBParks & Trails dividerMBEnvironmental Ed. dividerMBCalendar dividerMBRental Facilities dividerMBThings To Do dividerMBNews & Info dividerMBHow To Help

Brown’s Woods

Brown’s Woods Drive (West of SW 63rd St.),
West Des Moines, Iowa

Brown’s Woods, Iowa’s largest urban forest preserve, offers more than 2 miles of trails to explore. This 484-acre forest in West Des Moines features a canopy of oak and hickory trees stretching from Brown's Woods Drive to the Raccoon River. The rolling hills and small streams of Brown's Woods are a joy to explore at any season. This wildlife area is named after Tallmadge E. Brown, a successful Des Moines lawyer who acquired large tracts of land around Des Moines in the late 1800’s. One of them was this beautiful forest acquired by the Conservation Board in 1972.

Visitors may collect nuts, fruit or edible mushrooms for non-commercial use if the plant is not harmed; however, removing plants, hunting, or trapping animals and cutting wood is illegal here.

map
Click here for larger image
& detailed map.

Brown’s Woods can only be explored on foot or cross-country skis. The trails are sensitive to erosion and cannot withstand wear caused by horses, bicycles, or motorized vehicles.
Trails
Nature Trail
Length: Total 1.9 miles
Front Loop .4 Miles
Back Loop 1.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
 
Top of Page | Conservation Home | Polk County Home | Contact webmaster | Disclaimer | Login
© 2010 Polk County Government